Tag: diy friday

There is something about sorting through craft supplies when suddenly an idea pops into your head of a unique way to reuse them. Recently Little Johnny and I were rummaging through my craft supplies when I came across some mason jar lids and clothespins. I started messing around with them trying to see if I could configure some type of home decor item. First of all, I have been wanting a round coffee table for a while, (don’t ask why, it’s just something that has been on my mind…) So, I guess with that fresh on my mind I thought why not make mini round tables with clothespins as the legs. YOU ALL! It totally worked! I now have 3 cute mini round tables displayed throughout my home which serve as multiple purposes. Don’t judge by my enthusiasm of this very small joy in my life, but it’s definitely the little things that give me excitement!

So I clipped on the clothespins to the mason jar lids for them to act as legs and… WAH…LAH! My very own round table! (One day I’ll get that round coffee table that I have my mind dead set on!) It can hold tea lights, name cards for the Thanksgiving table, or simply just giving decor items that extra height. The possibilities are endless with these little guys! 🙂 Now, I’m not one to just leave something without that extra painted touch, so of course I went ahead and stained the “legs” and spray painted the “table top” to give a feel of warmth and distressed. Metallic gold with a brush of heirloom white along with dark stained “legs” will do the trick!

Tell me. what is something in your life that truly helps you to “unplug” from the world? What makes your mind just wonder off and not worry about the stress of life? We all have that “something”, and for me it’s definitely focusing on DIY projects. It’s a stress reliever and while I know it’s not for everyone I try to incorporate super easy projects that anyone can make! This is for sure on the top of my list for easy projects!

{Steps}

2.While the lids are drying, stain the clothespins (I just dipped it into the can and then used a rag to wipe off the access. It was just easier and it made sure to stain all parts of the clothespins.)

3.After the mason jar lids have dried a bit (I probably waited about 30 minutes) take the heirloom white spray paint and lightly spray the paint brush. You don’t need very much paint on it, just enough to apply the dry brush technique to the outer rim part of the mason jar lid. Simply take the brush and lightly brush the edges. You don’t want the whole rim to be painted the heirloom white, just enough so that the metallic gold still pops out. I left the inner part the smooth metallic gold finish. The contrast of the two colors look great!

4. Take the hot glue gun and attach the two pieces of the mason jar lid.

5. Make sure your clothespins are dried and then simply clip then onto the mason jar lids.

That’s it! You now have a mini round table! I hope you can find a place for these little guys in your own home. While they seem so simple they truly add just the simplest unique touch to your home decor!

P.S. If you want to view another way I upcycled mason jar lids, check out my >>DIY pumpkin<<

Well, fall is officially here! Maybe not so much in the weather for us, since it’s still 90 degrees outside, BUTdefinitely in the home decor! Here’s a big secret from a DIY mama…some days Little Johnny and I go into my favorite craft store and just walk around while I search for inspiration. As an added bonus, did you know that craft stores are a great place for kids to explore their senses?! We currently love the huge flowers at Hobby Lobby, it’s Little Johnny’s fav…and probably how I convince him to go. 🙂

What’s a fall trend that you have been seeing lately? (Even Magnolia Market sells them.)

Cotton Stems!

(or cotton flowers)

Have you ever gone into a home decor store and thought to yourself…”this looks like something I could make?” I say that to myself quite often and this time I took it to the next level by actually creating my own! YOU ALL! This project was so easy, and very cost-efficient. You probably have $1 right now in your wallet, (which is how much it cost to make this).

DIY Cotton Stems

{Supplies}

2 pine cones

2 branches

12 cotton balls

hot glue gun

The only item I purchased were the cotton balls, hence the $1 (although you may already have some stashed away in your closet). The rest of the supplies came from the outdoors.

{Steps}

I created another video where I share with you all the details. Make sure to click below to watch and feel free to leave a comment, or even subscribe. It’s always scary taking a leap as a blogger, but I felt it was time to move to the next level with my DIY projects (plus, we all know everyone loves watching videos.)

What fall decor item is your favorite this season?

Here’s to pumpkin spiced everything, bonfires, fresh baked pies, and cozy sweater weather! 🙂 Maybe you can try this for a weekend project?!

I am so excited to share with you this beautiful sofa table makeover, which I have been working on for probably about 2 weeks now. This was way over the amount of time that it should have taken, but you know…m o t h e r h o o d…always comes first!

This gem is coming all the way from Cocoa Beach and it landed right into our apartment, which I’m currently using as an entertainment center. Here’s the story…we were heading to the beach with our friends. As we got into town, I turned the corner and spotted this beauty at a garage sale. I wasn’t going to purchase it, but my friend and her boyfriend insisted, which they actually ended up buying it for me (can’t thank them enough!) 🙂

So many qualities about this piece captured my attention…the character of this wood has many unique features, which I knew I wanted to expose and have it become the main attraction. There were a few scratches, but overall in decent shape (perfect to attempt the distressed shabby chic look). My favorite part about this piece is the ‘knots” within the wood. I also fell in love with the shape of the beautiful legs along with the detailed lines this piece showcases. I’m simply just making it pretty again.

I challenged myself to only use the supplies I had on hand. I always have a can of white paint stored, and I knew the contrast would look very chic when matched with the lighter wood. I explored with some different techniques found some of my own along the way (that’s the best way of learning right?!) 😉 I figured why not be bold and forget about the rules! 😉

This result ended up being something I would definitely purchase in a store. It opens up our living room and adds just enough detail that’s not overbearing. It makes a beautiful statement in our home. I’m just so happy with this piece and I can’t stop staring at it!

Supplies

white paint for the legs (it took me about 6 coats to get a full coverage…at some point i need to invest in a paint sprayer)

accent color

sidewalk chalk

pine stain

dark walnut stain

polyurethane

coconut oil

vinegar

canola oil

vaseline

paint brushes

old towels

The first thing I did was clean the table with soap and water. Then I restored the wood, which I wanted to try a more natural way to clean up the scratches. I found that mixing vinegar and canola oil along with rubbing coconut oil on top after did the trick. I followed instructions from lifehacker.com and it seemed to smooth out most of the light scratches.

I had a pine stain that matched perfectly to the original stained color of the wood. I re-stained the table and then when back over the knots and details in the wood with a darker stain as an accent. I wasn’t going to paint the middle top portion of the table, but after looking over it for days I finally decided it needed a pop of color, which really attracts your attention to the lines of the wood now.

I didn’t want to just paint it a solid color, so I decided to go ahead and apply a distressed look to the top. I applied vaseline to the areas that I wanted it to look weathered and then applied a light greyish paint. Now, I would have totally used a chalky paint because that works best when creating a distressed look, but remember I wanted to “challenge” myself without buying anymore supplies so that left me with problem solving and coming up with a different idea as I didn’t have any chalky paint on hand. As I was painting I saw Little Johnny’s sidewalk chalk in the corner of my eye and I decided why not give that a try….

Yes, I used sidewalk chalk to attempt a “chalky paint” look. And it worked!

After I let the paint dry I then used the sidewalk chalk to rub against the wood, making sure to display the weathered areas. After that I used a dry brush to remove the chalk dust. I went back over it with white paint using a “dry brush” technique (where the paint brush is relatively dry, but still holds a little paint.)

I almost wasn’t going to apply a top layer of white, but I’m glad I did (thanks to my husband for the suggestion!) By the way, quick side note… Big John literally said he wants to do a flea market challenge with me and see whose is liked best by my followers like best! So, it may be happening soon, stay tuned! 🙂 I’m always up for a fun challenge!

I finally sealed the top with polyurethane and it looks amazing! This step is a must because without it, the paint will start to wear off after a while.

The legs of the table were very easy, it just took many coats in order for it to display a crisp and clean white color. For the knobs I sanded them down a bit and applied a darker stain, which created a two tone look that I really like!

I realize the wires look tacky, still working on a better way to display it, but for now this is it! 🙂 If you have any suggestions for hiding wires, please share! This was such a fun project and I’m so happy to be able to share it with you!

We have all seen the many different projects you can create from a pallet, specifically shelving. A few months back I found an old pallet on the side of the road that was calling my name! I hauled it home and it’s been sitting under my car port waiting for me to transform it into home decor projects! So far I have made a mail box organizer for inside, and now I added my second item from the scraps of a pallet…vertical shelves! These shelves are narrow, so items like small pots or jars are the perfect items to display on there.

This pallet that I found has so much character, as it’s older and more run down. (which is the best!) The boards are no where near straight, they have more of a curve appeal to the wood, which I LOVE. It adds the simplest details and naturally stands out.

You seriously should have seen me working with this pallet! I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to create, so I just kept cutting away with my jigsaw until I came across this simple masterpiece! 🙂 Finally I turned one of my cut out pieces vertical and saw the end result! I didn’t have to screw anything else into this piece. I simply stained it and had my husband (because I’m terrible at drilling…) screw it into our wall. I decided to go ahead and display this piece outside, as it truly makes a statement when plants are added to it.

Side note-My work area is outside under our car port, which faces the front of the house. It’s always a sight to see me working out there and when people walk by I definitely sense them viewing in on what I’m up to…Hello, I’m the DIY gal in the neighborhood. HAHA! If you’re in the neighborhood stop by on Wednesdays/Thursdays as I’m usually creating things outside!

There are not many steps to this project. It requires cutting, staining, and screwing into the wall. I have to make this post short and sweet because currently Little Johnny is up and pretty much destroying the house, haha. He’s playing in the Tupperware cabinet right now, but who knows how long that will last! Might I add too that it’s 7:30am in the morning and this little guy woke up at 5:30am! WHAT is that about, huh?! MOTHERHOOD…Anyways onto my DIY project!

Vertical Shelving Made From A Pallet

I could see this displayed inside a home as well. You could also create more than one to add more to the look. Where could you see yourself hanging this?

When you live in an apartment there’s only so much you can do to update the style (especially when it’s outdated). I have been wanting to paint my kitchen cabinets for the longest time either an off white color with silver hardware, or a light grey color with gold hardware. Well, painting is out of the question, but I needed to do something to lighten up the dark cabinets! The key was to find something that wouldn’t damage them.

So are you wondering what I used and what’s the trick?!

CONTACT PAPER

Long story short, Little Johnny and I were at the Dollar Tree picking up contact paper for a craft project we did this past week (sun catchers! which by the way, you should definitely do this with your little one. Here’s the link.) Anyways, I noticed how many pretty patterns of contact paper there were, so I guess you can say it inspired me to somehow use it within me home. I bought only one just to try it out on my kitchen cabinets and I ended up loving the result! So, I went back and had to buy 2 more rolls in order to cover my top cabinets, (hence the $3). Seriously, I would have never guessed contact paper would do the trick for an easy update to my kitchen! This was an idea that just popped into my mind while at the store, but of course many others had the same idea after I did a quick google search. 😉 That just means it truly works! 🙂

“BEFORE”

P.S. Here’s my color scheme I’m trying to go with in the kitchen. I have a lot of red throughout, and I’m just not liking it anymore. I want light colors to brighten up the room. The yellow in the picture below is a bit too bright, so I may find more of a softer yellow to coordinate with.

Do me a favor and go get yourself some contact paper, there are so many beautiful patterns and a variety of places you can use it in your home for an easy update! Don’t just stop at kitchen cabinets (my husband may come home one day and find our whole house in contact paper…HAHA!)

{Steps}

Make sure to wipe down the cabinets with soap and water

Measure out the height and length of what you want to cover

cut out the measured piece and peel back a small corner to start. The key is to do small sections at a time.

the best tool to use is a credit card or some type of plastic card (I used my library card.) 🙂

Take the card and use it to spread the paper down making sure to get any “bubbles” out.

Use the card to tuck in the edges and make a crisp clean straight edge.

That’s it! So easy, but it’s something that makes a huge change to an outdated room! I love how it brightens up our kitchen (although I still want to paint the cabinets white!) haha. Also, keep in mind that if you live in a small place and rent, that doesn’t mean you can’t update the place and personalize with your own style…decorating isn’t just for homeowners. 😉 Any space can use a sprucing up!

“AFTER”

Have you done any updates yet to your kitchen? What are some tips and tricks you have developed along the way?

Here’s the honest truth about DIYing…it can be messy and does not always go as planned, which is probably why many people shy away from it, am I right?! Although, call me crazy I actually have fun problem solving and figuring out a way to fix what I screwed up in the first place. 🙂 This Friday I’m presenting a DIY FAIL that actually turned out to be a successful project. I was the lady running around my house literally rummaging through everything to see what I can upcycle as “hooks” for my wall hanger. It paid off because I found the perfect solution! Tiki torches…YES, that’s right!

I’m not any different from anyone else and let me just say…I have many fails, but the good news is I learn from them and they help me to grow in my hobby of DIYing. Why would I write about a failed project? Because it shows the real life side of things behind blogging (especially when you blog about DIY projects). I have always made it my goal to be honest& realwith my followers. If you want to read another one of my fails, check out myDIY Fail photo wood transfer.

Let’s move onto the project, shall we?!

My original plan was to use wine corks and rocks as the “hooks”, well long story short it definitely wasn’t strong enough to hold objects like bathroom towels, which was the whole purpose of me creating this! I used gorilla glue to attach to the corks and rocks. They were attached securely (or at least I thought) to the wood, but as soon as I went to hang a towel on…the cork fell off…:( So obviously, gorilla glue wasn’t the trick. I had to find something that I could actually screw into the wood.

^^As you can see in the above pictures, it does hold things that are very light, but nothing that is heavy.

Let’s back up for a second and talk about the wood I used…this was a cut off section of a pallet I found a few weeks ago! It was perfect for this project.

I decided I wanted to go with a “white wash” look. I have been watching Fixer Upper lately (I just found out that the new season is on hulu! YES!) and recently they had an episode where “white wash” was a topic of discussion (you know the episode?) I have learned a lot about the process and event though I’m not loving the end result it’s something I can live with. The problem with my wood is it’s too light. I should have stained it a darker color so the white would appear brighter.

Here’s how I accomplished a “somewhat” white wash look:

I mixed 1 part white paint with 2 parts water (helps to thin out the paint)

paint the wood going with the grain

use an old rag to wipe off any access paint and bring out the character of the wood

Here’s a great blog I found while researching with more details on creating a “white wash” look.

The cover for the top of a tiki torch! Yes, that’s right!

It adds so much character and they’re so simple. I attached them with screws (I just “hand” screwed it in.) so this time I’m not left with my hooks falling off, haha… As for attaching the actual wood piece to the wall, I chose to use a very strong double sided tape that holds up to 30lbs. It works well, but you can definitely screw it into the wall!

Here’s to DIY fails! We learn from them, and create even better things!

P.S. Wish all the wonderful dads out there a Happy Father’s Day from me! Enjoy your weekend!

First of all, this title involves the word coffee, so we all know it’s going to be a good post! 🙂 I’m a huge coffee drinker over here! Something about a hot cup of joe in the morning just sets my day up for success.

Coffee bars and stations have become very popular within homes. Creating a “coffee shop” appeal is fun to display within the kitchen! We live in a small space, so it’s crucial to not add too much clutter to the counters. I replaced our huge toaster oven (we still have it, but now it’s in our storage area because honestly we don’t use it that often) with a coffee station!

BEFORE

(And yes, we use a percolater for our coffee maker!)

There are so many different ways you can go about creating your own. I chose to go with a counter top display, but you can definitely have it in a cabinet, hanging on a wall, or on a side table. I’m a pinterest lover, so if you’re looking for more ideas visit my profile to view more! Follow this link here!

The best part about this project is the cost! I was able to create a clean & simple coffee station for $6! By now we can all guess where my “go to” store is….Dollar Tree! Spray paint and gorilla glue go a long way! 🙂

$6 Coffee Station

I already had the spray paint, chalkboard paint, and wood. So all I needed were these 6 items above!

Surprisingly, the Dollar Tree has many framed printables. The good new is…I was looking for this exact quote! Although, I wanted to add color to it so I used the “slate blue” spray paint for the frame. It made such a difference and updated the look!

This tin tray and glass candle holder were a perfect combination to create the height I was looking for! I used this to store my mugs and stir sticks. You can use a hot glue gun to attach the tray on top too, I just thought gorilla glue would be a stronger bond.

I added an old piece of fence wood I had leftover from my “side of the road” find a few months ago! I also used a mason jar to add color to the display. I used rocks, yellow pebbles, and artificial green leaves. I added water just to give it the appeal of a crisp and fresh look!

I used chalkboard paint and painters tape to section off where I wanted my labels.

I already had the tall canister, which added to the look!

Here’s the end result! I love it! My husband even said it looks clean and simple! By the way…we currently rent and our kitchen counters, back splash, and cabinets are all out of date! This is not my preferred counter top, but one day I’ll be able to choose my own and when I do I’ll definitely take you through the process! 🙂

Do you have a coffee station in your home? What does it look like? AND what kind of coffee do you drink? I’m a flavored coffee drinker…(currently drinking Hazelnut). Cream & sugar? Black? (I take cream!)